Mother Of The Illumination
by Viva18
Summary: Renesmee and Jacob have a long, loving and promising future together. They are each very special beings. What would happen if they could have a special child of their own? What would that mean for the Cullen family, the lives of the supernatural and the lives of the human world? Please R&R. You might just like it!
1. The Arrival

Aunty Alice said it would happen this day… mid-spring when the first flower blossoms on the olive tree out front. It is warming out and some sun peeks through the clouds and then through the forest to make beautiful streams of sparkling light… the brightest stream highlighting the beautiful bloom opening in slow motion.

I knew it was the big day when I awoke that morning. I could feel my abdomen quickening and my babies were communicating in their way to me general feelings of "arrival", "awakening" and "new beginning." As Jacob and I nervously enter the living room where my family is gathered, I catch my father steal a quick glance through the front room window to the tree for confirmation. He too could hear my children through the ever-thinning membrane that has been the walls of their home for the past four months.

"It's time Dad, I know it is."

He gave me an apologetic look that was quickly replaced by that same mask of fear and uncertainty he's been wearing since the beginning. I immediately flitted to his side and placed my palm to his cheek and his mask melted away.

_Don't worry, my wonderful papa… everything will be just fine._ I put my message into his mind through our contact. I am rewarded with his special smile… the one he saves just for me, that I love so much. I feel his cool, stone-hard cheek warm under my palm from the love I can feel that radiates from him.

"I know... it's just that Alice hasn't seen the children… "

"Well, that's simply because they are part wolf," I say out loud to everyone.

"That, and my kids are extra-fricken special!" Jacob yells.

"Wow, someone has really become quite the leech-lover," Uncle Emmett adds.

"No-one doubts that they'll be very special," Gran Esme kindly supplies. "Great-grandchildren are well… great!" She takes my arm and spins me halfway to face my mother. I gasp. I can swear there are tears in her eyes except she really cannot cry.

"Mommy," I say as I reach out to her. She flies into my arms a little too forcefully but I can handle her super strength even in my condition.

"Oh, my love, I am so excited, I love you so much my dearest Renesmee."

I place both my palms to each of her cool cheeks and I blast her with an overwhelming flow of pure unconditional love and I can feel the same emanating from her heart to mine. Together, our love gives off a heat and I suppose it might even burn if I knew what that felt like.

"Ok, Ok! Let's get those children outta ya so we can hold them and kiss them and love them forever and ever!" Aunty Rose says with an air of anxiousness.

"Your birthing team is ready to go when you are!" Aunty Ali tells me as she gently leads me to the birthing room.

Inside the birthing room, the light-blocking drapes are drawn, the ceiling is painted black and there are one hundred tiny twinkle lights hung and glowing to simulate a starry night. There are also one hundred unscented tea light candles lit and placed all around. It looks so cozy and inviting. There are piles of freshly-cut birch and evergreen branches all around, my request because I love their relaxing scent. In the center of the dimly-lit room, there is a large, low-to-the-floor, overly-cushioned bed. At the foot of the bed, there is some medical equipment and a sonograph machine but they are not too noticeable. Grandpa Car is already waiting patiently sitting on a stool at the foot of the bed.

Jacob suddenly sweeps me off my feet and into his arms. "Are you ready to start, beautiful?"

I blush and nod and he places me on the bed and then gently pushes some pillows under my head. He kisses my brow and then the tip of my nose as he cuddles next to me on the bed. He continuously strokes strands of my hair and curls them around his fingers. Mom and Gran settle at each side of my head and Aunty Rose and Aunty Ali fill the spaces next to Grandpa to help him clean and hold the babies.

"Soo… how will it begin Doc?"

"Jacob, you know I have no idea, but in the meantime, I will start will another ultrasound."

Carlisle places a slippery probe to her abundant stomach and moves it around. There is a recognizable picture on the monitor screen. It looks like a gray linen laundry bag full of puppies. Not see-through but thin enough to sometimes make out a baby's hand, arm or a foot when it pushes straight into the uterine wall.

"Just as usual, the uterine wall has thinned a bit, as it does every day, but not enough to really see the babies. You can just make out basic things like their forms and sizes."

"Well, no need to wait long to see them… I can feel something happening." I start to squirm. "I feel a strong tightening in my belly… I think it's pushing the child… " The pressure is uncomfortable but of course not painful.

Carlisle lifts her slip just enough to inspect her progress. "You are fully dilated and I can feel the child's head descending. Uncomfortable pressure and tightening alternate and after a few minutes, water mixed with blood and a black haired baby slide from the birth canal. Everyone squeals and cheers.

I watch through my tear-drowned eyes as my baby takes a first breath. The tears roll down my cheeks but Jacob is kissing them away in between telling me that the baby is a boy and that he loves me. Jacob wipes at his own eyes as he bombards Carlisle with questions concerning the baby's health and appearance.

"Come over here and cut the cord Jacob and see how healthy he is!"

Just as Jacob is making his way closer, our baby cries out a beautiful sound. His cry sounds like a wonderful melody and I have heard this song before… every night in fact, in my dreams, through-out the whole pregnancy.

"It's Nightingale, my Nightingale… my little songbird of the evening."

Jacob looks into my eyes and smiles his gorgeous, sweet smile, "That's perfect, my love... " He cuts the cord and takes the baby from Grandpa Car. Nightingale is still "crying" until Jacob holds him close, "…and so are you, my little boy." He places Nightingale on my chest and as soon as his skin touches mine, I am overwhelmed by a bright, white and gold light in my mind that is Nightingale's heart and soul. I know it to be his heart and soul… good, pure, golden and merry. Distantly, I hear and feel my mother praising me and congratulating me but I am transfixed on my son. He looks up at me with the palest golden eyes and smiles a heart-breakingly lovely smile with his set of tiny, white teeth. I am in love with this child of mine. I will do anything and everything for him.

Bella tells everyone that Nightingale is advanced for a newborn just like his mom. "Well, looks like the babies will be like you in that matter."

It is Rosalie's voice that breaks the trance, "Well I'm first in line to hold him! Give him here so I can clean him off and dress him up."

"That's a good idea Aunty because here come the contractions again."

Jacob comes back to my side, "Are you ok?"

"Yes, my love, it is merely uncomfortable." I kiss his lips lightly to help ease his concern. With a few more contractions, another baby with a head of shiny, blackish-hair with a bronzy-purple tint to it slides into Grandpa's hands. This baby comes out crying hard. Except the crying sounds more like cackling.

Jacob jumps up and grabs the scissors, "It's another boy!" He takes the baby, holding him under his arms, feet dangling and puts his face to his, "This pup looks like me! Look, he's got my face and my eyes… except for the dark yellow color."

I look between the two, "Yes, he does look like you, but he's not a pup… he's a Grackle. Just listen to him!"

When the baby hears her speak, Grackle abruptly stops crying and looks straight to his mother. He looks across the bed into his mother's eyes. As they make eye contact, he telepathically sends his loving thoughts to her mind but she also thinks she might sense a darker side to him or maybe it's just that he's gonna be a lil' troublemaker. Grackle then actually smirks at her.

"Did you see that?" I am amazed at Grackle's advanced expression. Actually, everyone was pretty amused by it and I think he's definitely a troublemaker.

Grandpa Car remarks that the boys are even more advanced than she was at birth and it should be interesting to see how quickly they develop.

Jacob brings the baby to his mother. As she holds him, they smile and giggle back and forth at each other. She places her palm to his brow and cheek.

_Good you shall do my son, to do this, bad you shall be._ I'm not sure how I know this, but I know it to be true so I kiss his forehead after sending him that thought and he sends a message back to my mind as my lips leave his skin, _Yes, momma._

Aunty Ali giggles and takes the baby from my arms, "I will tidy up this little cutie now since I'm guessing your third and final child will be arriving shortly." And with that, the contractions do start up again.

Carlisle helps deliver the last baby with reddish-brown hair, light caramel-colored eyes and holds him up for all to see.

"Another Boy! Oh my God… triplet boys… we're so lucky!" Jacob yells.

Esme giggles, "Many broken vases and TV screens!"

Everybody is congratulating us and Jacob is cutting his cord while gushing about his team of all-boy wolf pups but I am noticing the baby's size difference.

"Wait. He is smaller. Is that ok?"

Grandpa takes the baby back from Jacob. Now, Jacob's light banter turns to alarm as he waits for the Doctor's assessment. All of the women quit their happy chatter too and wait for Carlisle to say something.

Carlisle weighs the boy in his hand, "Yes, smaller. He is about 3.7 pounds lighter than his brothers."

Jacob's face goes white, "What does that mean Doc?"

Carlisle appears unalarmed as he gently hands the baby back to Jacob, "It could mean that he got less nutrition in utero or it could mean nothing… I am not worried about it."

The smaller boy just smiles and points to his mom. Jacob hands him over and he cuddles into her arms. They look into each other's eyes. He reaches up and places his palm on her chin. He communicates to her the same way that she does by showing her pictures. He shows her shots of the inside of the orange, glowing womb and hearing everyone talk to them through the belly. Or being entwined with Grackle mostly and the time that Grackle elbowed him in the side because he wanted more room. The little boy kicked Grackle back and refused to move an inch.

I giggled at his pictures of a little version of him standing up to a much bigger Grackle. I knew he was smaller but that he'd be just fine. "He's smaller because he is Wren. And Wren is gonna be just as tough as his big brothers."

Everyone laughed and relaxed. A cooing Bella and Jacob stroke Wren's cheek. Rose and Alice went back to dressing and swaddling the other boys.

A knock on the door precedes Edward peeking in, "We hear everything is over and we'd like to come meet my triplet grandsons!" Jacob covers his wife with a light blanket to make her decent as Edward, Emmett and Jasper file in. Esme stands by her husband to give the guys some room.

"Yea, let's take a look at this lil' wolf pack you got goin," Emmett says. Jacob gives a lil' "ahhh oooo" of a howl and they both share a laugh. Jasper goes to Alice's side to do some adoring with her.

"This is your Uncle Jasper and he is the best uncle you'll ever have!" Alice coos.

Edward drops down to take his daughter's hand in his as he looks back and forth to her face and to Wren's. Bella leans next to them while watching in complete adoration and bliss of her blazingly perfect husband.

"He has your hair color, Dad."

Edward's face lights up, "And his eye color… that was also the color of my eyes, before… "

"I never knew…" I started to say but was abruptly chocked off by an intense pain.

"Arragh! I'm having another contraction and it actually _hurts_!"

"What do you mean it hurts?" Bella asks worriedly since her daughter has never really felt any _real pain_. Renesmee starts to twist and pant. Esme grabs Wren from her arms and he wails at the abrupt departing. Jacob squeezes in between Edward and Renesmee, grabs her hands and franticly tries to soothe her. "It's ok Ness… it's ok… tell me what to do... tell me."

"I. Don't. Know. It's so uncomfortable!"

"It's the afterbirth, the placenta… it needs to be delivered as well. It can't stay inside Renesmee, you need to push it out," Carlisle tells her as he shoos Edward out of the way. "I'm going to help you. Edward, turn around and you guys, don't look. I'm going to push on your belly now to help deliver the placenta, you push too, Renesmee!"

"Ow, ow, ok, I am!"

Jacob's eyes are glowing red and he is panting right along with her, "Carlisle, make it stop! Get that after-crap out already!"

"I am, Jacob! I am grabbing it… I am… grab… "

Edward turns around wide, blank eyes and paler than ever, "I hear her. She sounds so sad. What is… going on?"

Carlisle then pulls the afterbirth out which is actually a very small, petite, wailing baby girl. She is very pale and beautiful with rose-blushed cheeks and curly, midnight black hair that brushes her shoulders. Her eyes do not open as she continues her hauntingly melancholy cry. Carlisle holds the baby up and just stares in disbelief. Everyone is starring wide-eyed and dumbfounded, mouths hanging open. Renesmee is the only one making any noise as she cries uncontrollably. Jacob pats her absentmindedly as he too stares at the baby girl in dis-belief. Finally, Jacob shakes loose his stupor and comes forward to cut her cord. No one says a word as he takes her into his arms and gently rocks her as silent tears streak down his face. Slowly and gently he places her on Renesmee's chest.

Immediately, my baby stops her soulful cry and cuddles inward towards my warm skin. My hands come up around my daughter and then she gives a sleepy sigh. My daughter… I have a daughter. I am reeling. My body feels like it leaves me and sways back and forth in front of my eyes. I am falling. There are no words for my state of mind. I am stuck in this moment of pure, sheer bliss. I stop crying as I feel the most intense protective love bursting my heart into millions of pieces. Now I know how my mother felt when I was born… that is, before I bit her.

"Is it a miracle?" Jacob asks Carlisle.

"I don't know… This whole time, I could only make out three fetuses on ultrasound. I don't know how she could have been hidden from view day after day after day for four months."

"Carlisle, why hasn't she opened her eyes or smiled or done the other things that her brothers can do?"

"I don't know Jacob… none of us know much yet… I'm sure we will all have a great many questions to ask about your extraordinary children."

Bella's hand comes into Renesmee's view as her mother gently strokes the little girl's dark, long eyelashes. Renesmee, what will her name be?"

Unable to take her eyes away from her baby daughter she whispers, "Mourning Dove."


	2. Hard As Stone

2.  Hard As Stone

It seems like it has been dead silent for hours as we all take in Mourning Dove's arrival. No one has spoken again as we all silently worship this beautiful, mystifying, sleeping creature in my arms. Occasionally, I hear delicate, happy, complacent sighs from the women. Even her big brothers quietly adore her as they too cuddle in their great-aunt's arms. It's like she's the most marvelous, reverend, sacred queen and we are her absolutely, unquestionably devoted, faithful followers. I barely take my eyes from her because I am worried she'll disappear. I'm still in shock that I have a fourth child, a sweet little girl, and I'm afraid I'm actually dreaming and this could all just disappear when I awaken.

But, of course I'm not asleep, as I soon find out when a sudden, unexpected pain so excruciating rocks me back into reality and makes me wish I was dreaming, or better yet, dead.

"Rrrraaaagh! Oh my God! What the…" Renesmee shrieks so loudly and suddenly that it might've actually startled her vampire family.

"I am having some pain again… I can't breathe… it's too much… help… help… " She huffs out between pants. Bella has snatched Mourning Dove and passed her to Esme because Renesmee is writhing on the bed. Jacob is trying to hold her by her shoulders and yelling for help too. Everyone feels panicked but clueless as to what to do. All four babies are wailing and crying and reaching for their mother.

"This must be the afterbirth now, unless… another child?" Carlisle says but is secretly unsure because of the surprise forth child and all of the other possibilities running through his head. He decides to plunge the "just-in-case" needle of morphine into her chest. She wasn't supposed to need pain relief seeing as she has never felt any actual pain before. Everyone figured she was incapable.

"Everyone stay calm! The morphine should kick in any second."

"Please, my belly! Ow, ow, ooow! Nooo, ahhhh-ughh!" Renesmee claws at her abdomen while rolling and thrashing and bawling from the pain. A pain that is so much worse than the brief labor of Mourning Dove.

"Carlisle, the morphine is not taking effect! She's burning! It's stronger than the burn of turning!" Edward has un-willingly dropped to his knees. He twists and moans as he too suffers along with his daughter as he reads her mind and feels the horrific burn. He stiffly crawls closer to Renesmee and grabs her hand, together they face the burn.

Bella yells, "No! Not happening!" as she vehemently throws her shield at them both. Edward visibly relaxes but Renesmee continues to scream and writhe. Jacob is pouring sweat while trying to hold her and comfort her. Tears gather in his eyes as he witnesses the love of his life burn to death.

"Why is she still hurting, Bella?!" Jacob yells violently without taking his eyes from Renesmee's face.

"I don't know! I'm so sorry Renesmee, Oh my poor girl, I'm trying!"

"It's something happening within herself… radiating from her abdomen… it can't be stopped or tamped out," Edward tells everyone and then tells Bella to lift her shield so that he can suffer along with his daughter. Bella looks stricken as her loved one suffers and she shakes her head back and forth at top speed.

"No, Edward! I can't! I can't bear both of you… don't ask me too!" He nods slightly an approval and she takes a place at their sides to whisper encouraging and supportive words to Renesmee. She vividly remembers the burn too and she feels like she is re-living that un-imaginable experience. _Please, oh please let it end, let it end already! _ Bella prays to herself for Renesmee's pain to stop and then screams out-loud, "Oh my God! Let it end already! Carlisle, what can we do?! Please! Say there's something else to help her through this!"

Everyone is wearing a mask of despair, worry and horror as they quietly wait for this event to pass or change. Carlisle has tried to check her and make sure there wasn't another child or hemorrhaging to which he found none of either.

"Edward, you said it is the burn of turning… is she _turning_?" Carlisle asks the question on everyone's mind.

Jacob answers before Edward can, "I don't care if she turns to vamp or wolf or a duck, just please don't let her die!"

"She won't! She won't die Jacob! I can see her future!" Alice looks as relieved as she sounds. There is a moment of huffs and sighs as everyone seems too take a collective breath of relief.

"I don't think she's turning, but something _different_ is happening. Some sort of change to her vamp side is taking place." Edward has trouble translating those horrible feelings into words to form an explanation.

After a few more minutes of agony, Renesmee's pain levels gradually start to lessen and she seems able to think and breathe again.

"Oh my, ugggh, so horrible… thank you… oh, thank you, it's getting better… it's getting better. It's feeling like it's not so _intense_…" Renesmee slows her breathing and panting and movement as she shakily grabs onto Jacob and holds him tight and close. She continues to moan a bit as she deals with the aftershocks and twinges of pain. Jacob holds her close and soothingly strokes the hair from her face and continues down her neck and back over and over. He repeatedly whispers "I'm right here" and "you're gonna be okay" and "I love you" into Renesmee's ear, neck and forehead. He is clearly still so shaken and uncertain. The babies are all shaken and continue to whine and fuss for their mother. Slowly, Renesmee was able to explain what happened to her.

"My womb, as it burned, it tightened and shrunk. The burning pain radiated from my womb and traveled throughout my veins to the tips of my toes and fingers." Renesmee explains in a tired, hoarse voice. "I could feel my womb gradually shrink and harden into a small stone. A stone hot like it was taken from the heart of a campfire. The pain started to lessen as my _stone-womb _cooled off and continued to harden." Renesmee places her palm to Jacob's cheek, looks into his eyes, and shows him what she says out loud for all to hear, "Jacob, we will have no more children."


	3. Seeing Is Believing

3. Seeing Is Believing

Jacob's warm, over-sized hand comes up to cover his wife's hand that is still over his cheek. He pulls Renesmee even closer and moves her face into the crook of his neck and shoulder. They stay like that awhile before he pulls away and looks into her eyes.

"It's okay Ness… I'm okay with that. Look at these four beautiful, amazing children you have given me. We are so blessed to have them… lucky you were able to conceive and carry and safely birth them. It's more than I could have ever dared to wish for… especially after seeing what your mother went through… "

Jacob is out of breath as he carries on to Renesmee with an almost pleading tone. "I'm so proud of you Ness. Look at what you did… quadruplets! And the pain you endured… I'm so, so sorry, my love. If I could have taken every drop of pain from you and put it on me… I would have gladly. I'm just so relieved that the pain has finally passed. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes, don't worry, I am so much better, my dear, and I know that you would have taken the pain from me if you could have. Thank you." She returns a smile to Jacob and her hand slips away from his face.

The room was still and quiet as Renesmee recovered. Eventually, the babies began to squirm and fuss and wanted to be near their mother. Jacob lifts his wife and slowly walks down the hall to her bedroom where there is a giant bed that she is placed on. Rose, Alice and Bella follow with the kids and each place them among Renesmee on the comfy bed. There are two babies on each side of Renesmee curled into their mom's side. They each hold on to their mother and make little mewing noises and soft, content whistling noises too. Renesmee smiles, whispers some loving words to them and gradually passes out.

"She is beat. I can't even see her dreams. She is out cold." Edward chuckles a bit, "The babies' dreams on the other hand… so colorful, so vibrant. They love their mom and dad dearly already and they love all of us too. It reminds me of when I first heard Renesmee's thoughts of love for us."

"Awe, that's so sweet… what precious darlings. We all love them too," whispers Alice.

"Well everyone, we have forever to adore my grandchildren… let's all leave them and my daughter to rest and bond," Bella says quietly as she ushers everyone through the door. Jacob sees that his family is safe and content and he leaves as well.

I awake with a start. I was dreaming of the Volturi finding out about my children… seeing Aro's eyes widen with lust and wanting… hearing him squeal with crazy delight, when he first views my young daughter through the eyes of a spy. What a horrible nightmare. We all must work extra hard to make sure my children remain a secret, at least until they are full-grown and can blend in.

My children! I have kids now and I sleepily look at each of them lying beside me… my handsome little devils and a sleeping beauty… here, safe with me and my family. A girl, oh my God, that's right! It seems like a foggy dream that I've had a baby daughter. She was so unexpected and such a wondrous surprise to us all. I look to my side to see her again because I'm suddenly afraid that I imagined her.

She is not here on either side of me but the boys are here, peacefully asleep. I can sense and smell that my family has not re-entered my bedroom since I fell asleep… So…

My stomach drops, my heart accelerates to inhuman speeds, my mouth goes dry and my eyes go blurry as I become really dizzy and panicked.

"Oh, no! Oh no, no, no, no!" I say to myself in a breathless voice that comes out in a harsh whisper. I did imagine her. I imagined this whole thing and now my heart is breaking so hard into a million pieces. I couldn't realize how much it would hurt to have my dream of a little girl shattered. I wish I had never imagined such a thing in the first place. My boys awaken and cry as they sense my heartache. I sit up and fall back down as vertigo and a lack of blood pressure to my brain causes me to experience this out-of-body feeling. I feel so lost and alone and soo sad without my daughter… my little Mourning Dove with curls and rose-blushed cheeks.

Wait. What if she is real? What if I didn't imagine her at all and the Vollturi has come here and snatched her from my side while I was in a deep sleep? The possibility hits me hard like the pain of burning.

My whole world is turned upside down. There are no words for my state of mind. I feel my eyes blur again and I suddenly lose my sight so I scream a long, blood-curdling screech.

In less than a second, my entire family bursts into my room yelling various questions of concern. Jacob's arms are around me in that second. I know it is him by his smell and warmth. I feel him breathing fast and heavily on my face but I can't really concentrate on what he's screaming at me.

I don't really hear all of their questions, I only scream my own words. "The Volturi! They have taken my daughter! Where did they take her? Help! Please, we must get her back!

Distantly, I can hear my father tell me that the Volturi didn't come and she is right here and that everything is okay. Maybe I am dreaming again and he is trying to wake me up from this horrible nightmare. The women though contradict his soothing words making me realize that this is really happening.

"Find her! Look under the covers!" My aunty Ali yells.

My mother screams, "Could she be hiding under the bed? Is she able to crawl off somewhere?!"

There is a flurry of top-speed activity as each of the vamps frantically flip through covers and sheets, rip down the drapes, overturn the furniture and search every nook and cranny.

"I can _hear_ her right here! She's right here next to her mother! She's scared; she's crying that haunting cry… "

Emmett stops in front of Edward, grabs him by the shoulder and says, "Bro! What are you doin'?!"

Everyone stops abruptly. They don't understand why Edward has suddenly lost his mind. They all look questioningly to Edward, then at the bed, and then back to Edward. Renesmee is still crying and pleading.

"What the hell!" Jacob shouts as everyone else gasps.

Mourning Dove slowly starts to appear on the bed near her mother's side. She is crying and reaching for her mom who is lying a foot away from her.

Edward smiles his perfect smirk, lets out a small chuckle and shakes his head back and forth. "She was invisible."


	4. Getting Acquainted

4. Getting Acquainted

"Holy shit. Now, that's talent!" Emmett exclaims while laughing. Renesmee's vision starts to clear as she feels herself calm down. Jacob has snatched up the baby and put her in Renesmee's arms, which causes the baby to stop crying. Renesmee is whispering _thank- you's_ to everyone without looking away from the baby. She feels relieved but she's looking exhausted again. Jacob sinks down next to her on the bed and rubs gentle circles into her neck and upper back to help soothe her stress.

Once again, everyone spends the next few minutes shaking their heads in amazement and wonder. How many times in one day can you catch a coven of vamps by surprise?

Renesmee suddenly lets out a short, abrupt laugh. "Okay, I can't believe that first I thought I dreamt her. Then, in the next moment I was convinced that somehow the Volturi snuck past you all and stole her from my side. Motherhood is messing with my head."

"It'll do that." Bella and Esme say in unison and then both chuckle. "But, to be fair, you couldn't see her... "

"Uncle Jasper! Why didn't you calm me down during all of that nonsense?"

"Believe me! I was certainly trying my dear. I suppose a new mother's anxiety and concern for her young must overrule all."

"Ok. Well, now that we all have our heads back, we know that Mourning Dove is real, here, safe with us, and quite talented." Carlisle begins. "And with that, I think it is time to start some initial medical and physical assessments of each child."

Emmett and Jasper leave the room and Edward has begun to play some gentle tunes on Renesmee's bedroom piano.

"I've brought the nourishments!" Alice helpfully supplies as she springs into the room while balancing an ornate, silver tray filled with various containers. "Bella will help her daughter start feedings with Wren while you start your assessments of Nightingale. Alice points to Nightingale then sings a little jingle to him, "Little-mister-first-born!"He reaches up to her and she scoops him up in her arms, swirls around and around in a perfect pirouette that is so Alice. He lets out an adorable squeal of delight. Renesmee and Jacob beam from ear to ear at the sound.

"Yes, good plan Alice." Carlisle opens his medical bag and takes out his notebook, finger sticks, testing strips, test tubes and other items to get started. Alice passes Nightingale to Rose who is sitting in a comfy chair next to Carlisle. Nightingale smiles up at Rose and then smiles over at his great-grandpa. Their hearts melt as Nightingale shows his precious, perfect-toothed smile, reminiscent of Edward's and Jacob's smiles. While Carlisle sets up, Rose coos and plays with Nightingale while giving him little kisses. Nightingale's response is more smiling and cherry whistling noises that take the place of giggling.

"Oh! It is like he's a sweet, little birdy singing a song! That's soo cute!" Rose's beautiful face looks pleasantly surprised like it's the first time she's really heard his song.

Renesmee looks up from what she is doing and says, "Yes, Exactly, Aunty Rose! I could hear that beautiful whistling song of his every night in my dreams.

"Awe, he's so precious and happy and so good-natured!" Bella observes from across the room. Bella suddenly can't resist flying across the room to give Nightingale a quick kiss and then return to Renesmee's side in that same second. He's taken by surprise and laughs loudly. Edward stops playing and everyone adores the lovely sound of Nightingale's babyish giggle. Bella smiles at him, "So very precious."

Carlisle takes Nightingale into his arms and records the baby's second weight measurement which he determines is 7.8 pounds. Both Nightingale and Grackle were exactly 7 pounds at birth earlier that afternoon. Carlisle hands the happy baby back to Rose and continues his findings. He pricks the baby's finger and presses a test strip to the drop of bright-red blood that appears. Rose is completely un-affected by the blood from the times they have all spent being around it; Bella's pregnancy nourishment, Renesmee's diet as a baby and her frequent pregnancy cravings of cups of donated human blood.

Since, the baby didn't even flinch at the finger prick, Carlisle notes that the babies probably have a high pain tolerance. There is a possibility that the kids won't feel pain at all, which up until today, was the case for Renesmee. Carlisle continues recording results in his notebook. He finishes up with Nightingale and asks Alice to bring Grackle over to Rose. Alice stands up from her chair and prances over to the bed to pick up the sleeping baby.

Grackle protests with a little whining in his sleep as Alice lifts him off of a pillow. Everyone laughs but Jacob is too loud and Grackle wakes up from the noise. He's wide-eyed and his mouth turns to a pout and he starts cackling a high-pitched cry. Renesmee and Bella both yell out "Oh baby!" and "It's okay!" at the same time. Renesmee looks torn as she wants to jump up from Mourning Dove and Wren's side to help Grackle. She doesn't though because she knows her aunt is capable of soothing him.

"Ohhh nooo! Don't cry my silly, little nephew… it's okay." Alice quietly talks to Grackle while holding him close and rocking him in her arms. He stops crying and stares back up at her with a mad face and pouty lips. His grouchy expression makes her giggle, "I'm sorry to wake you sleepy head but your Great-Grandpa Car wants to hold you and check you out."

"Here, give him to me." Bella pleads after flitting to Alice's side in a split second. She takes the pouty baby into her own arms and stares into his yellow, tear-stained eyes. "Hello, Grackle. I am your Gamma Bella, and I love you."

Slowly, his pouty lips turn to a full smile. Grackle telepathically sends her a message, _I love you too Gamma. I know you. We heard your voice. Reading stories to us. _

Everyone watches to see Bella's face go from loving, to amazed, to adoring. She lets out a big breath of air that she was holding and she looks like she could cry happy tears as she continues to stare into Grackle's eyes. They both continue to look into each other's eyes when finally Esme asks, "What did he tell you?"

Edward flies to Bella's side and answers to everyone, "He loves her." Bella lets out another puff then looks up into Edward's eyes and smiles at him. Edward takes her and the baby into an embrace, "Could you ever have imagined that we would be surrounded by this much more love and wonder?" Bella answers him with a slight shake of her head and a look of intense love. Edward slowly leads Bella by the elbow over to Carlisle and Rose where she hands over an agreeable baby.

Carlisle begins his assessments of Grackle while Bella returns to Renesmee's side to help begin feedings with Wren and then Mourning Dove. Esme pulls a privacy curtain around the bed just enough to cover her daughter-in-law. Renesmee tightly swaddles baby Wren in a light-weight blanket and puts his mouth to her breast. "Come to mama, my little one." Renesmee deeply hopes that her children will be human enough to be breast-fed. No one knows if _she _will be human enough to produce milk. Wren does not open his mouth to feed but wriggles his hands free of the blanket to hold onto his mother's bare skin at her collarbone. He smiles up at her and shows her pictures of their encounter right after his birth. He loves to see her giggling at him and re-plays that scene over and over. He cuddles into her chest and falls asleep… the picture of her giggling slowly fades to gray and is replaced by colorful images, sounds and shapes.

"He's fallen back to sleep," Renesmee whispers.

"Do you want to try with Mourning Dove?" Esme suggests.

"Yes, please." Renesmee hands Wren to her mother and Esme hands off Mourning Dove. Renesmee is glad to be holding her daughter again so soon. She offers a silent little prayer that her daughter will learn to breast feed now. Mourning Dove is asleep, as usual, and Renesmee is nervous about how to wake her. "She hasn't opened her eyes yet or when she was first born… " Paranoia starts to creep back into her mind as she wonders all sorts of scenarios as to why she hasn't opened her eyes yet.

"That's okay, dear. All babies aren't the same. She just needs more time than the boys. She'll get there."

My mother's words are like a salve to a burn, and now that I know what a burn feels like… I look down at my content baby girl and know my mom is right. I pull her close to my face to kiss her forehead and she mews in her sleep and grabs on to the back of my neck. She nuzzles into the crook of my shoulder and neck. I leave her there for a while to enjoy the bonding but then I become anxious to try feeding her. My babies must be starving by now; it's been more than five hours since they were born.

I whisper sweet nothings into her ear as I slowly transfer her face to my breast. I place her mouth there and move her lips against my nipple to stimulate a feeding instinct. I suddenly worry that she'll bite me. I still can't believe I bit my mom in the chest. I instantly regretted doing it though.

She doesn't respond to it and Renesmee is wracked with sadness. Edward hears her inner turmoil and is at her side that moment to cheer her on. Jacob, too, tells her encouraging words and kisses her cheeks.

Esme says, "They must get too cozy once they get into your arms, they just conk out. Look, Nightingale looks wide awake. How about Jacob try feeding him?"

Renesmee smiles to Jacob, "Yes, that's a great idea. You try sweetheart."

"I'd love to try! Bring me that little man o' mine." Alice hands russet-skinned Nightingale to Jacob. Jacob holds him like a baby and then waves his hand for a bottle.

Alice asks everyone "What should we try first? The milk, formula, blood, or pureed raw meats?"

Jacob answers, "Doubt it'll be formula. Since I'd prefer meat, let's go with that first." He brings the nipple to the baby's mouth. "Mmmm, buddy, this is good stuff. Look at daddy, I like it." Jacob mock drinks the bottle and then puts it back to baby's mouth. Nightingale clamps his lips shut, shakes his head and swats the bottle away. "Dang, he's fiesty! I like it!" Jacob signals for the next bottle. Alice chooses the milk bottle from the silver platter. Same thing happens.

Meanwhile, everyone looks at Grackle who is fussing in Carlisle's grasp. Jacob doesn't notice Grackle huff and whine and point towards his mom, so Jake continues to try feeding his baby. Grackle gets their attention and looks right into his mom's eyes and sends her a telepathic message.

"Guess we try the O neg." Jacob is about to try the blood bottle when Renesmee yells, "Stop! Grackle just told me..."

_No milk. No blood. No food. We don't need it._


End file.
